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First Ever Aggie Identified

by Jim Forsyth

Texas A&M University officials have determined that James Archibald McIver was in fact the first student to enroll in what was then called the Agricultural and Mechanical College of San Antonio. And since A&M was the first college in Texas, that makes him the first person to enroll in an institution of higher education in the Lone Star State, 1200 WOAI news reports.

As it turns out, McIver's great great grandson and granddaughter are both students at Texas A&M.

McIver, who died in 1923, lived in Caldwell, which is about 25 miles west of Texas A&M, the town of College Station didn't exist at that time.

He rode the 25 miles by horseback, but realized when he arrived that he was a day early.

So rather that ride all the way back home, McIver slept under a tree near the college, and was first in line when registration began for the first A&M class.

University lore has long recognized McIver as the 'First Aggie' at the tradition-heavy university.

Texas A&M is now the largest university in Texas, with 58,000 students. More than 400,000 students have attended Texas A&M since McIver enrolled in 1876.